The U.S. Department of State has released the May 2026 Visa Bulletin, with relatively limited changes across employment-based immigrant visa categories. For EB-5 investors, the key takeaway remains consistent: all reserved set-aside categories continue to remain current for every country.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that employment-based adjustment of status applicants must use the Final Action Dates chart in May. This means that applicants in the United States may file Form I-485 only if their priority date is earlier than the listed cutoff date for their category and country.
The Visa Bulletin remains the primary resource for tracking immigrant visa availability. It includes two main charts. The Final Action Dates chart determines when a visa may be issued or when USCIS can approve an adjustment of status application. At this stage, an applicant’s priority date must fall before the listed cutoff date. The Dates for Filing chart indicates when applicants may be eligible to submit their applications earlier, if USCIS permits its use.
Understanding Key Visa Bulletin Terms
What Is Driving Movement in the May Bulletin
Work With EB5AN to Pursue Permanent Residency Through EB-5
Understanding Key Visa Bulletin Terms
The Final Action Dates chart controls when applicants can move forward with final adjudication or file for adjustment of status when USCIS designates its use. When a category is listed as “current,” there is no backlog, and applicants may proceed regardless of priority date.
May shows little change across most employment-based categories. Final Action Dates for EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Professional and Skilled Worker categories remain unchanged from April.
Highlights From the May 2026 Charts
Most employment-based categories remain stable in May, with no changes to Final Action Dates in EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 classifications.
For EB-5 investors, the only movement appears in the unreserved category. Under the Final Action Dates chart, China advances slightly to September 22, 2016, while India remains at May 1, 2022. All other countries remain current.
Importantly, the EB-5 reserved set-aside categories continue to remain current for all countries.
Here’s the Final Action Dates chart:
Dates for Filing chart:
Implications for EB-5 Immigrant Investors
The May 2026 bulletin continues to reflect a stable environment for EB-5 investors. Reserved set-aside visas remain fully available worldwide.
For investors from countries facing longer waiting times in the unreserved EB-5 category, the value of reserved set-aside visas remains clear. Filing under a reserved category continues to offer a path that avoids the delays associated with the unreserved pool. Rural projects also continue to benefit from priority processing at USCIS under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
Because USCIS is using the Final Action Dates chart in May, adjustment of status eligibility is more limited compared to months when the Dates for Filing chart is used. Applicants must have a priority date that is current under the Final Action Dates chart to proceed with filing.
What Is Driving Movement in the May Bulletin
The State Department continues to link recent forward movement in visa cutoff dates to reduced immigrant visa issuance at U.S. consulates. At the same time, the agency continues to caution that if visa demand increases later in the fiscal year, some categories could move backward before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026.
The State Department also notes that rising demand from India in the EB-5 unreserved category could require future action to stay within annual visa limits. This may include retrogressing the Final Action Date or temporarily making the category unavailable, although no specific timeline has been provided.
Work With EB5AN to Pursue Permanent Residency Through EB-5
The May 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects continued stability in EB-5 reserved categories, which remain current for all countries, alongside limited movement in the unreserved category.
More than 2,700 families from over 70 countries have selected EB-5 projects sponsored by EB5AN regional centers. Our expert team has more than a decade of experience and offers clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate.
Schedule a free call with EB5AN to learn more about current EB-5 opportunities and begin your application while visa availability and processing conditions remain favorable.
